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Tarkington, Booth, 1869-1946

"Ramsey Milholland"

Faintly in all ears there was multitudinous noise like
distant, hoarse cheering... and a sound like that was what Dora Yocum
heard, one night, as she sat lonely in her room. The bugles and fifes
and drums had been heard about the streets of the college town, that
day, and she thought she must die of them, they hurt her so, and now to
be haunted by this imaginary cheering--
She started. Was it imaginary?
She went downstairs and stood upon the steps of the dormitory in the
open air. No; the cheering was real and loud. It came from the direction
of the railway station, and the night air surged and beat with it.
Below her stood the aged janitor of the building, listening. "What's the
cheering for?" she asked, remembering grimly that the janitor was one of
her acquaintances who had not yet stopped "speaking" to her. "What's the
matter?"
"It's a good matter," the old man answered. "I guess there must be a
big crowd of 'em down there. One of our students enlisted to-day, and
they're givin' him a send-off. Listen to 'em, how they _do_ cheer.


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